Timing for objections

Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Interlocutory Appeal on Questions of Law - 18.09.2006 BAGOSORA et al. (Military I)
(ICTR-98-41-AR73)

Paras 42-46: the Appeals Chamber found that when a party wishes to object to the introduction of evidence of certain material facts on the basis of lack of notice of these material facts, it should do so at the time the evidence is introduced. Nonetheless,

45. […] [W]hen an objection based on lack of notice is raised at trial (albeit later than at the time the evidence was adduced), the Trial Chamber should determine whether the objection was so untimely as to consider that the burden of proof has shifted from the Prosecution to the Defence in demonstrating whether the accused’s ability to defend himself has been materially impaired. In doing so, the Trial Chamber should take into account factors such as whether the Defence has provided a reasonable explanation for its failure to raise its objection at the time the evidence was introduced and whether the Defence has shown that the objection was raised as soon as possible thereafter. 

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Notion(s) Filing Case
Appeal Judgement - 19.03.2019 KARADŽIĆ Radovan
(MICT-13-55-A)

312. The Appeals Chamber recalls that, as a general principle, a party should not be permitted to refrain from objecting to a matter which was apparent during the course of the trial, only to raise it in the event of an adverse finding.[1] Further, it is settled jurisprudence that, if a party raises no objection to a particular issue before the Trial Chamber when it could have reasonably done so, in the absence of special circumstances, the Appeals Chamber will find that the party has waived its right to adduce the issue as a valid ground of appeal.[2]

[1] Musema Appeal Judgement, para. 127.

[2] See, e.g., Prlić et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 165; Nyiramasuhuko et al. Appeal Judgement, paras. 63, 1060, n. 157; Popović et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 176; Bagosora and Nsengiyumva Appeal Judgement, para. 31. See also [Prosecutor v. Naser Orić, Case No. MICT-14-79, Decision on an Application for Leave to Appeal the Single Judge’s Decision of 10 December 2015, 17 February 2016], para. 14.

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